Robot billed as 'toaster on legs' breaks world record

The Ranger, built by US scientists, set the record for 'untethered robotic walking' earlier this month.

Guided by students using a remote control, the odd-looking robot strode 108.5 times around a 212m indoor track.

It completed about 70,000 steps before it needed a recharge.

Andy Ruina, 57, lab manager on the project at New York's Cornell University, said: "The Ranger is nothing special to look at but the motion is rather graceful in a way you don't see in many robots."

The Ranger, whose parts alone cost £15,000, took four years to perfect — but runs on batteries and cost less than 1p to travel four miles.

It smashed the previous world record set by Boston Dynamics' BigDog in Boston by 1.5 miles.